Electric broiler



Filed Jan.

2 sheets-Sheet Zjwuemtoz Jan. 10, 1933. R. E. G ALER ELECTRIC BROILER 2 Sheets5heet 2 Filed Jan 22. 1929 3mm Roberz E Galer Patented jan. 10, 1933 PATE NT OFFICE ROBERT E. GALER, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON,.ASS IGNOR, BY DIRECT MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO MINUTE ELECTRIC CORPORATION OF WASHINGTON BROILER, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, A

ELECTRIC 30mm Application filed January 22, 1929. Serial No. 334,198. I

My invention relates to electric broilers, and consists of certain improvements which make .them. more convenient, compact, and efiicient. v

The object of my invention is to improve the device along the above lines. My invention consists of certain details of construction which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and which will be hereinafter described and finally defined in the claims which terminate this specification. J

The accompanying drawings illustrate a broiler built in accordance with my inventioni er, the front heating plate being swung forwardly and down. I

Figure 2 is a cross sectional elevation taken on a plane extending from front to rear, both heating plates being upor in position of use.

Figure 3 is a top orplan View, a portion of the heating platesat one end being in section.

Figure 4 isa detail elevation, parts being in section, of a tensioning means.

My invention concerns a broiler wherein two complemental racks are yieldingly supported in complemental frames, which frames are pivoted so that they may swing together, or either one swing independently of .the

' other upon the common axis, and in which the steak is broiled while held in a vertical position, and thrown down into a horizontal position to take it off, or one of the frames held in such horizontal position to permit the steak to be laid thereon, whereupon the second frame. and rack maybe brought down upon the steak to clamp it and hold it, and the whole assembly then moved into vertical position for broiling. Preferably there is associated with each frame a heating plate which swings with the frame and rack,'but my invention is not restrictedfto this type alone, other than as defined by the claims, and may be of the type in which a separate broiling chamber is employed, and the frames moved into this broilin chamber. Such a construction is shown 1n my Patent No. 1,746,698.

Each heating plate has a body 1 of refrac- Figure 1 is a front elevation of the broiltory material which carries the heating elements, these, as illustrated, being coils 10 of resistance Wire. The above elements would conveniently be mounted in a frame as of sheet metal 11, whiclrprotects the said elements and gives permanency thereto. Such frame is also conveniently provided with ears or arms 12 which contain pivot bearings engagin pivot pins 23, carried by the end Walls 22 of the base or stand. Two such frames are provided, both pivoting upon the same pivots 23 and swingable separately or together. A back 21, or stops carried thereby, limit upward swinging of the frames.

The enclosing metal. casing preferably extends at the adjacent sides of the heating plates, so that when the two plates areswung together their edges meet, thereby tightly enclosing whatever is bein broiled. The rear- 1 heating plate has a hand e 13, which may be fixed, and the front heating plate has a handle 14, this preferably being pivoted lindhaving a latch member 15 on its inner end operation with like means carried by the complemental frame. Such a holder consists'of a rack or frame 3, including parallel bars 30. This rack is yieldingly supported from the heating plate, as by links 31, so as to swing towards and from the central plane and maintain-parallelism with the heating plate. An extension spring 35, anchored to the frame 11 by one end, and passing over a segment 36 secured on the pivot center 37 ofone of the links 31, tends to force the" rack-3 inward, and a stop 38, engaging a shoulder 39 of the segment, serves to fix its inward limit. It thus automaticallyadjusts itself to steaks of different thickness, and the 1 racks may come closely enough together to broil slices of bacon, or separate enough for a thick steak or chops. As additional supports for the lower edge of the steak, or whatever is in the broiler, the lowermost of the cross bars may pro ect from the general plane of the rack, as indicated at 32, being preferably on the front rack 3.

To secure equality of position of the two racks 3, I provide each, at respectively opposite ends, with a pin 33, and at the other end with a complementary slot 34. The slot has sufficient length to insure entry of its pin. Being disposed one pin on each frame,

when swung into vertical position the pin on each frame will engage the upper end of the slot in the other frame to prevent saidframe dropping without carrying the first frame. In consequence of this disposition of the pins and slots, the frames are maintained in symmetrical position relative to both heating elemgnts, thereby insuring equal heating at each s1 e.

Springs 6 mounted on the pivot pins 23 are connected at one end to the end wall 22 of the base, or to a tensioning clip 60 pivoted on the pins 23 and held by a screw 61, and at the other end the springs are secured to the frames 11, one spring to one frame and the other spring to the other frame. These are so as to assist in lifting their respective frames, and lose their tension as the lifting progresses and the load becomes less. By their aid the combined frames may be supported in any intermediate angular position.

Leads 5 and 50 connect with the respective heating plates. A switch, the actuating lever 53 of which is engaged by a lever arm 43, is connected in these leads, and is supported in a switch box 52. The lever arm 43 has complemental arms 4 and 40 which are positioned to be engaged by anarm 41 carried by one of the frames 11. This is shown as carried by the front frame '11, so that whenever the front frame has been moved sufficiently in a horizontal direction the composite lever 44043 is moved to throw the snap-over switch, represented by the arms 53, to cut out the current suppl to the heating elements 10. Consequent y, whenever the broiler is thrown into horizontal position to receive a steak or to permit a steak to be taken therefrom, the current supply is cut oil, and the danger of fire greatly lessened thereby.

It is essential to provide some means for collecting the grease which will drip from the steak as it cooks. I have shown the lips 12, which form the lower portion of the frames 11 when in the u right position, inclined to direct the grease alling upon them inwardly toward the center of the frames, where it may drip from the edges of these lips 12, and fall into a rease pan 25 supported in an aperture 24 in the shelf 20 in the base of the stand. This grease pan may be rovided with handles 26, b which it may withdrawn for remova of the grease. To prevent splashing of the grease as it drips from the lips 12 into the rease pan 26 the two ends and rear sides 0% the pan 25 are raised, as indicated at 27. The forward edge may not be raised, as now designed, since the forward frame 11 throws down into position where it would interfere therewith, but there is little likelihood of grease spatter-ing beyond the forward edge of the pan. The grease will drip through the lips 12, whether the frames 11 be in the upright or in the horizontal position.

What I claim as my invention is: 1. A steak broiler comprising two opposed heating elements, each carrying its half of steak supporting means, and a common pivot for both said heating elements, upon which the may be turned together or separately, an abase carrying said common pivot of said heating elements. v

2. An electric broiler comprising two heating plates pivoted upon a common axis to swing separately or together, a holding rack for each heatin plate, and links supportingly connecting eac rack with its heating plate to accommodate them at variable distances apart. I

3. An electric broiler comprising two heating plates pivoted adjacent one edge, a holder for each heating plate comprising a rack having forwardl projecting mutually centering members at t eir lower edges, and links pivotally connecting said racks each with its respective heatin plate, thereby to accommodate them to different distances of separa- 5. In a broiler, two complemental frame members, means pivotally supporting said frame members to swing separately or together, angularly about said pivot support, and means carried by said frames for engag ing food to be broiled.

6. In a broiler, two complemental frame members, means carried thereby for engaging and clampin food to be broiled, a pivot support for eac of said frames at a common edge, means connecting said frames to swing on said support jointly between an upright and a horizontal position, said latter means being releasable to permit independent swinging of either frame on such support.

7. In a broiler, two complemental frame members, means supporting said frame mem- 7 tion, and the switch including a rocking lever 1 here to swing jointly or independently angularly about a common pivot axis between a horizontal and upright position, said frames being separable by independent movement of one from a common position, electric heating elements carried by each frame, a rack' carriedby each frame and cooperating to support a steak, and means operable by movement of said frames into horizontal osition to cut ed the current supply to sai heating elements, and operable by movement of the frames into upright position to cut in the current supply.-

8. In a broiler, a frame, a rack and parallel swinging arms supporting the rack from the frame, a segment secured to turn with one of said arms, and an extension spring anchored at one end to the frame, and passing over and anchored to said segment, and a limit stop to position said rack normally in a selected position.

9. In a'broiler, in combination, two complemental frame members adapted to receive and hold a steak therebetween, electric heating elements 'in said frames for broiling such a steak, a pivot support for each of said frames at a common edge, means connecting said frames to swing on said pivot support jointly between an upright and a horizontal position, said latter means being releasable to permit independent swinging of either frame I on such support, a switch in the circuit including said heating elements, and means operable by that frame which is lowermost when in horizontal position to throw said switch ofi as this frame moves towards horizontal position.

10. The combination of claim 9, the switchoperating means comprising an arm secured to and projecting from the frame which is lowermost when both are in horizontal posihaving two fingers, one being positioned for engagement by said arm to throw the switch ofi as this frame moves towards horizontal position, and the other positioned for en-' gagement by said arm to throwthe switch on as this frame moves towards vertical position.

Signed at Seattle, Washington, this-15th day ofrJanuary, 1929.

ROBERT E. GALER. 

